Baked Apple Cider Donuts
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
Homemade baked apple cider donuts made with fresh apple cider, and buttermilk to keep them moist they are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. No need to fry these! They taste like they came from your local orchard.
So you may or may not know this but even though this blog is called “bostongirlbakes” I actually did NOT grow up in Boston. Cue shocked face! Yes it’s true. I grew up on a farm in rural, upstate New York. And one of my fondest memories growing up is visiting the local cider mill.
Watching the cider be pressed before my very eyes was such a joy that I looked forward to each year. But the thing I remember the most, and longed for each year, were the homemade donuts.
Behind this tiny plexiglass window homemade donuts were pressed out and fried before your very eyes. Hot, fresh donuts that were like none I’ve ever tried.
So this apple cider donut recipe is my ode to that cider mill and those fond memories. And let me tell you what, a homemade apple cider donut that I can whip up any time in my kitchen? Let’s just say it’s dangerous friend. You’ve been warned.
For more donut recipes check out –> 90+ Donut Recipes
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Lots of apple flavor – These baked apple cider donuts are made with an apple cider reduction so maximum apple cider flavor!
- No frying required – Sure, fried donuts are amazing. Not going to argue that at all here. But frying donuts can also be lot of work! These are baked, so they are much faster to whip up.
- No yeast either! – These homemade apple cider donuts are made with baking powder and baking soda, so no yeast is needed. That means no waiting around for them to rise, no kneading, no rolling and shaping.
Ingredients needed
Ingredient Notes
- Apple cider – You need to reduce the apple cider on the stove, so it’s concentrated. This takes about 45 minutes on the stove, but you can do this a day ahead of time and refrigerate it when ready. Apple juice will not give you quite the same flavor.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk and milk do not react the same way in baking recipes with the leavening agents. If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make a homemade buttermilk version.
How to make these baked apple cider donuts
Make the apple cider reduction
- Pour apple cider into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let it cook, watching carefully.
- Let it reduce until the cider is reduced to ½ cup. This took about 40-45 minutes for me. If it reduces too much, add enough cider to make ½ cup. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before using. I pop mine in the freezer to cool down faster. This can also be done the day before. Simply cover and refrigerate until ready to use the next day.
Making the donut batter
- Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,and nutmeg to a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined and set aside until needed.
- Mix wet ingredients. Whisk sugar, brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and egg together in another bowl until combined.
- Combine all ingredients. Add the apple cider reduction and the wet ingredients to the well. Stir together using a spatula to form a slightly thick batter; do not overmix.
- Fill the donut pans. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling them about 1/2 of the way up. Or use a piping bag and fill the pans, which is much easier. This batter will make a little over 12 donuts (
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour which can result in a dense tough donut. For best, results measure your flour using a kitchen scale.
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Do not overfill the pans. You want them about half full, so they don’t puff up over the center. If you overfill them won’t look quite like donuts anymore. If you do, simply cut the center out using a piping tip.
Coating The Donuts
You have two options now to coat the donuts. With or without butter. I preferred the rolled in butter first then coated in cinnamon sugar. My husband preferred without butter. To each their own!
And then it’s time to take a bite. Devour. Hide them for yourself, so no one else can have any. I mean, err, share them. Right. Of course, share them is the correct answer.
These donuts are so light and fluffy and bursting with apple flavor. And the cinnamon sugar coating sends them over the edge. I seriously inhaled three immediately. I wish I was exaggerating to you. But I’m so not. They are that good.
More Recipe Tips
- Do not overmix. Once you have combined the wet and dry ingredients do not overmix. Mix just until the flour has been incorporated. A streak or two of flour not mixed in is OK.
- Use room temperature eggs. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before baking.
- Check the freshness of your baking powder and baking soda. Test baking powder by placing a teaspoon in a small bowl of warm water. Test baking soda by placing a teaspoon in a small bowl of vinegar. If it bubbles, then they are fresh and good to use!
- Use a piping bag to pipe the batter into the donut pan easily. If you don’t have a piping bag, then use two spoons to scrape the batter in the pans.
Recipe FAQ’s
After they are baked and cooled completely, you can definitely freeze these. Place the donuts in sealable plastic bag and freeze these for up to 3 months. They will thaw at room temperature quickly.
These homemade apple cider donuts can be stored at room temperature, covered, for 2 days. They may last a little longer, but I find they are best if eaten within 2 days (or fresh, hot out of the oven is always the best!!)
Absolutely! Just replace the flour with your favorite gluten free flour mix and you’re all set. I love this Cup 4 Cup GF flour blend.
More recipes to check out
Apple cider donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour spoon and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
Topping:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons (142 g) unsalted butter melted (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep pans. Preheat the oven to 375oF (190 degrees C). Grease two 6-cup donut pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make apple cider reduction. Pour apple cider into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let it cook, watching carefully, until the cider is reduced to ½ cup. This took about 40-45 minutes for me. If it reduces too much, add enough cider to make ½ cup. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before using. I pop mine in the freezer to cool down faster. This can also be done the day before. Simply cover and refrigerate until ready to use the next day.
- Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,and nutmeg to a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined and set aside until needed.
- Mix wet ingredients. Whisk sugar, brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and egg together in another bowl until combined.
- Combine all ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the apple cider reduction and the wet ingredients to the well. Stir together using a spatula to form a slightly thick batter; do not overmix.
- Pipe donuts. Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling them about 1/2 of the way up. Or use a piping bag and fill the pans, which is much easier.
- Bake donuts. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned, and the donuts spring back slightly to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing to a sheet pan lined with a silicone baking mat. Pipe and bake any remaining batter with a second batch (I usually get another 3-4 donuts).
- Coat donuts. Mix sugar and cinnamon together for topping in a shallow dish. To coat the donuts you can roll them in just cinnamon and sugar. Or dip them in melted butter first then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Let cool completely before serving (if you can wait that long!)
Video
Notes
- Tools: Donut Pan |Whisk (this is my new favorite whisk!) |Cooling Rack
- Freezing: After they are baked and cooled completely, you can definitely freeze these. Place the donuts in sealable plastic bag and freeze these for up to 3 months. They will thaw at room temperature quickly.
- Storage: These donuts can be stored at room temperature, covered, for 2 days. They may last a little longer, but I find they are best if eaten within 2 days (or fresh, hot out of the oven is always the best!!)
- Buttermilk: Regular milk will not react the same and will not yield the same results. If you do not have any buttermilk you can make a homemade buttermilk version.
- Overfilling the pans: Do not overfill the pans. You want them about half full, so they don’t puff up over the center. If you overfill them won’t look quite like donuts anymore. If you do, simply cut the center out using a piping tip.
- Nutritional facts are based on rolling the donuts in butter.
I can tell you’ve packed bags of flavour into these baked donuts. Love the idea of adding buttermilk and reducing the apple cider. I’m going to have to dig out my donut pan!
I can’t wait to hear how they turn out for you!
I haven’t made these yet but I am planning on it. I just got my doughnut pan from Amazon yesterday. Next the grocery store. I had my first apple cider doughnut a few weeks ago and it’s pure love for me. This might be dangerous, knowing how to make these. I have a question, do you think the apple cider could be reduced in a crockpot? Thanks for your time.
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl! Oh you’re going to love your donut pan! And yes knowing how to make these is super dangerous haha. As far as reducing the cider I think it would work fine, I just would assume it’s going to take longer and I just don’t know how much longer it might take, so as long as you keep an eye on it should be good! Let me know it turns out 🙂
Is it possible to pipe the batter into mini bundt pans? Would the baking time be the same?
Hi Julianna, I haven’t tried but yes I think it would be fine to bake into a mini bundt pan. I think the time would be 20-25 minutes (but I would start checking at 18 minutes and keep an eye on them. Let me know how they turn out!
Oh my goodness! These were so delicious for breakfast this morning and my family just loved them! I’m so excited to make these delicious donuts again!
I am so glad the whole family enjoyed, Beth! Thanks for your sweet comment 😀
Enjoyed these for breakfast this morning and started my day off right! So delicious and much easier than I thought; is the perfect breakfast for fall1
Thank you Sarah! I’m so glad you enjoyed these..and yes they make a perfect breakfast treat 🙂
As soon as September hits, I pull out my donut pans and make apple cider donuts. They’re a family favorite!
I’m the same way 🙂 hopefully this recipe also becomes a family favorite!
The perfect sweet treat! We enjoyed these so much!
Aw that’s great to hear Blair!
The donuts look extremely yum. I wish i can have one with a steaming cup of coffee.
I can’t wait to try these. Sounds like a perfect recipe for Sunday morning.
Enjoy!! And yes I totally agree..or any morning for that matter 😉
These look amazing! I definitely want to try them this fall with some homemade apple cider. Pinned! 🙂
Thanks!! Let me know if make them and what you think!
It’s been absolutely forever since I’ve made doughnuts – you’ve inspired me to give them a go again! Gorgeous recipe!
Thanks Elizabeth…they are so easy to make this way since they are baked!
I’m a donut person? I love apple cider donuts! They just scream fall.
Thanks Jenna..and enjoy your donuts! 🙂
This looks super delicious!!! I would love to make these baked donuts!
Meghan | BeyondBasicBlog.com
Thanks Meghan..they disappeared quickly let’s put it that way 😉
Yum! I love apple cider in the fall!
Thanks Brittany! Me too 🙂
Such fluffy doughnuts! I want them with my cup of coffee now!
Thanks Manju! Oh my gosh they were so fluffy!! And yes they would go perfect with a cup of coffee!
Oh my gosh. These sounds delicious! The photography is beautiful too.
Thank you Amber for the kind words on the photography..it’s been a learning process over the years! 🙂
Not only are your donuts perfect for the Fall, they are baked! Genius.
Thank you! And baked = way easier!
Love this, apple cider doughnuts are my fave!!
Oh man I have to agree me too!
Okay, these look and SOUND incredible!!! :O And I don’t blame you for eating 3…I am pretty sure I could top that though ha!! Can’t wait to try them.
Ok well let’s just say I stopped counting at 3 ;)…I mean they were baked sooo less calories is what I told myself! Thanks!!
Love these homemade donuts! The yummy apple cider makes these just perfect for fall!